TRAINING, OR CRAM.

Observer, Volume XI, Issue 707, 16 July 1892, Page 3

TRAINING, OR CRAM.

' God willing, he will be a credit to his country.' According to the general run of things, a child starts upon its school duties at the age of five, and finishes at the age o£ fifteen. How, then, are the ten years to be spent ? The true object of eduoation is strength of mind and character, and any process that conduces to give 'this kind of strength is trup, even though Hfrle know-

ledge is gained by it. A weak mind iiiled with facts collected from others is not the end proposed. . The mind requires healthy exercise, the end proposed is strength of mind. We must fully recognize the difference between the strong ■ mind and the stuffed mind, between training and cram. The tendency at the present day. is to strive excitedly for quick returns —various knowledge, cram, in fact, — and to depreciate thought, training and strength. The two are utterly distinct. Cram depends partly upon the memory, which is a good beast of burden, but nothing more, sometimes a mere jackass, carrying a precious load for others ; and, partly, on the ease and attractiveness- of novelty and change. On the surface, judicious cram is very attractive ; there is no denying that it is pleasant to make a' show at a small cost. The labour is light, the return immediate. * All along the surface, he scoops here and there, and snon has his little heap of glittering pinpoints of precious metal, of shining sand, and coloured shells. It is a real pleasure collecting them, they make a nice show at once, sparkle at dinner, tables, and are the delight of fond and shallow-minded relatives. But when be comes to the hard rock underneath, as he soon, does everywhere, the sand-washer leaves it alone. Yet the gold is there, the bedded gold, which none but the strong can wrest, not the leavings of past workers, but the fresh virgin mines, fall of gold in themselves, and nerving all the powers of man in the getting it. But quick returns though small, quick and easy, are more attractive than great returns delayed, and' the laborious exercise of the strength required to get them. In fact, sandwashing and rock-cleaving, <>cram and mental training, are distinct things. Any one with fair intellectual quickness can skim the surface of subjects innumerable and find pleasure in doing so, and make a " great show, whilst, as yet, the sweat trickles from the brow of the rook- cleaver, . and his sinewy arms strain and strengthen, but he can show no gold.

This is precisely the case that has to be considered in education. Is the, mind to be made strong for after life ? or is the mind to, be stuffed with present seeming gain? Sand-washing or rock- cleaving, cram or training, -which is it to be ?